Rotary sprinkler head



Nov. 17, 1942. A. s. LYNDON ROTARY SPRINKLER HEAD Filed Sept. 5, 1940 FIGJ.

INVENTOR. ALFORD $.LYNDON AMMM ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 17, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROTARY SPRINKLER HEAD Alford S. Lyndon, Ann Arbor, Mich.

Application September 5, 1940, SerialNo. 355,540

3 Claims.

The invention relates to rotary sprinkler heads of that type in which the head is intermittently advanced rotatively by'a step-by-step movement.

It is the object of the invention to obtain a simple construction having various advantages and, in particular, one which will operate satisfactorily with varying water heads or pressures and without any danger of stalling. To this end, the invention consists in the construction as here inafter set forth.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical central section, partly in elevation, of my improved sprinkler head;

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section on line 2-3 of Figure I viewed in an upward direction.

As illustrated, A is a vertically extending water conduit, and B is a rotary sprinkler head having a swivel mounting on said conduit, comprising a gland C, a hollow stem D extending through said gland with a head E at its lower end and with a packing washer F between the head and gland. The head B may be formed with any desired number of radially extending sprinkler arms. As specifically shown, the head has two arms on diametrically opposite sides, each being upwardly inclined and provided at its outer end with a sprinkler nozzle G. H is a second rotary head arranged above the head B and having a swivel connection therewith comprising the gland I, a hollow stem J extending through said gland having a head K at its lower end and packing rings L between said head and gland. The head H may be provided with one or more radially extending hollow arms which at their outer ends are provided with nozzles M with obliquely extending discharge ports N therein. The nozzles M have a threaded engagement with the arms and may be rotatively adjusted to vary the angle of the discharge ports N with respect to the plane of rotation. As specifically shown, the head H has two diametrically opposed arms, one of which carries a dog 0 adapted to impinge against a lug P on the head B. This dog is pivoted on a headed pin Q depending from the head H so as to be capable of an oscillatory movement. Such oscillatory movement is limited by shoulders O and O on the dog which engage a depending O on the head H. Thus, when the shoulder 0 contacts the lug 0 as shown in full lines in Figure 3, the dog 0 will be extended radially outwardly to impinge against the lug P, but when the shoulder 0 engages the lug 0 the dog will clear the lug P, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3.

In operation, water from the conduit A passes 55 upwardly through the hollow stem D into the radial arms of the head B and is discharged outwardly through the nozzles G without any tendency to cause a rotation of the head. At the same time, a smaller amount of water passes from the head B through radially extending ports K in the head K and into the hollow stem J from which it passes into the rotary head H and outward to the nozzle M. As the ports N in said nozzles are inclined, the discharge of water therethrough will impart a rotary motion to the head H in the direction indicated by arrows, Figures 2 and 3. This rotary movement will, through centrifugal action, throw outwardly the dog 0 into the position shown in full lines, Figure 3, where the shoulder 0 will impinge against the lug P. However, as the dog is free to rotate on the pin Q, it will immediately turn to a position which will clear the lug P, as indicated in dotted lines, Figure 3. Thus, the inertia of the dog 0 will determine the force of impact against the lug P which will be sufiicient to impart a slight rotative adjustment to the sprinkler head B. However, this force is not sufficient to stop the rotation of the head H which will continue in its movement and will again centrifugally throw the dog 0 into its outwardly extending position. One or more of the arms of the rotary head B may be provided with lugs P and each time one of these lugs is struck by the dog 0, it will impart a rotative movement to the head '13. If desired, more than one dog 0 may be mounted upon the head H but, for simplicity, a single dog is preferably used, the opposite arm being provided with a balancing counterweight R.

One advantage of the construction is that the force of each impact is determined by the velocity of rotation of the head H. Thus, where the water pressure is low and the head H revolves slowly, the degree of angular adjustment effected by each impact is relatively small so as to increase the time of the complete cycle. This is desirable for with the low water pressure, the amount of water discharged through the nozzles G will also be relatively small. On the other hand, where the water pressure is increased, this will correspondingly increase the velocity of rotation of the head H and the centrifugal force operating on the dog 0 so as to deliver a higher impact against the lug P. Consequently, the angular adjustment due to each impact is increased in magnitude and the time of the complete cycle diminished which is desirable as water will be discharged through the nozzles G at a higher rate. Another advantage is that there is no danger of stalling for the resistance to rotation of the head H due to the dog 0 is diminished with a decrease in velocity. Consequently, even if the dog were in contact with the lug P at the start, it would not prevent the head H from rotating.

The ports and passages through the rotary head H are considerably smaller in area than those through the head B. To avoid danger of clogging, the ports K in the head K, through which water enters the head H, extend radially, while the direction of water passing outwardly through the arms of the head B is transverse to these ports so as to clear the same from any deposit.

Adjustment as to length of cycl may be obtained by rotatively adjusting the noZz1es.M so as to incline the ports N a greater or lesser degree with respect to the plane of rotation. This will change the velocity of movement of the head H and, consequently, the degree of angular adjustment of the head B due to each impact.

. What I claim as my invention is:

. 1. The combination with a water supply conduit, of a rotary sprinkler head swivelled thereon, an independently rotatable head also connected to said supply conduit and provided with one or more inclined jet nozzles to impart rotary movement thereto, a lug projecting from said first mentioned head, and a dog pivotally mounted on said last mentioned head adapted to be thrown outwardly centrifugally and to impinge against 'said lugto deliver an inertial impact thereagainst, said dog being movable to clear said lug during the continued rotation of the head on which it is mounted.

'2. The combination with a water supply conduit, of a rotary sprinkler head swivelled thereon, an independently rotatable head also connected with said conduit and provided with one or more inclined jet discharge nozzles for imparting rotation thereto, means operating centrifugally during the continuous rotation of said last mentioned head for successively delivering impacts against said first mentioned head to produce a step-by-step angular adjustment of the latter, and means for rotatively adjusting said inclined jet discharge nozzle to change the angle of the jet with respect to the plane of rotation of the member on which it is mounted.

3. The combination with a water supply conduit, of a rotary sprinkler head swivelled there'- on and having divergent discharge arms, an independently rotatable head coaxially swivelled on said first mentioned head and having a water supply passage extending downwardly therein provided with laterally directed entrance ports, one or more jet discharge nozzles on said last mentioned head inclined to the plane of rotation thereof, a dog pivo-tally mounted on said head and movable outwardly thereon by centrifugal action, a lug projecting from said first mentioned head in the path of said dog in its extended position but clearing said dog when turned on its pivot whereby successive inertial impacts will be delivered by said dog to said lug during the continuous rotation of said second mentioned rotary head and the water discharged through said divergent-arms flowing transversely to said entrance ports clears the same from obstruction.

ALFORD S. LYNDON. 

